NAWCA U.S. Standard Grants 2027Conservation
The NAWCA U.S. Standard Grants 2027 provide substantial funding for projects that conserve wetlands and associated habitats in the United States.
The programme is administered under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The current FY2027-1 U.S. Standard Grant opportunity has an estimated US$46 million in programme funding and approximately 25 expected awards. Individual grant requests can range from US$250,001 to US$3 million.
The current application deadline is 25 September 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
NAWCA U.S. Standard Grants 2027 – Quick Details
Particular Details
Grant programme NAWCA U.S. Standard Grants
Funding agency U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Programme North American Wetlands Conservation Act
Funding opportunity number F27AS00008
Fiscal year FY2027
Estimated programme funding US$46 million
Expected awards Approximately 25
Grant amount US$250,001–US$3 million
Eligible geography United States
Match requirement At least 1:1 non-Federal match
Deadline 25 September 2026, 11:59 PM ET
The official grant listing confirms the funding range, expected awards and closing date.
What Is NAWCA?
The North American Wetlands Conservation Act is a U.S. federal conservation programme supporting the long-term conservation of wetlands and wetland-dependent fish and wildlife.
The U.S. Standard Grants programme supports projects involving activities such as:
Wetland acquisition
Conservation easements
Wetland restoration
Wetland enhancement
Wetland establishment
Long-term conservation of associated upland habitat
The official eligibility guidance says that a proposal must link the proposed costs directly to eligible acquired, restored, enhanced or established acres completed during the project period.
How Much Funding Is Available?
The FY2027-1 U.S. Standard Grant opportunity has an estimated US$46 million in programme funding.
Individual requests must be:
Minimum: US$250,001
Maximum: US$3,000,000
Applicants requesting US$250,000 or less should use the NAWCA Small Grant programme instead. The U.S. Standard Grant is therefore intended for larger conservation projects.
What Does the Grant Support?
NAWCA Standard Grants support projects designed to conserve wetlands and wetland-dependent fish and wildlife.
Eligible activities can include:
Wetland Acquisition
Projects may involve acquisition of:
Land
Conservation easements
Leases
Other eligible real property interests
The official guidance includes fee-title acquisition, conservation easements and certain lease acquisitions among eligible activities.
Wetland Restoration
Restoration can involve returning natural or historic wetland functions to former or degraded wetlands.
The programme can support activities such as engineering and design associated with eligible restoration work, materials and supplies, and other allowable project costs.
Wetland Enhancement
Projects can improve the physical, chemical or biological characteristics of wetlands to improve their functions.
Enhancement may also include work on associated upland habitat.
Wetland Establishment
The programme can support establishing wetlands where they did not previously exist, resulting in an increase in wetland acreage.
Who Can Apply?
NAWCA proposals are developed by organisations and partners involved in wetlands conservation.
The programme is partnership-oriented, and proposals must contain appropriate partner contributions and documentation.
Potential applicants should carefully examine the current NAWCA U.S. Eligibility Criteria and Processes and the FY2027-1 proposal instructions before applying.
The proposal must identify an appropriate Principal Investigator affiliated with the grant recipient organisation. The Principal Investigator is responsible for the proposal and subsequent grant-related correspondence and reporting.
Because this is a highly specialised U.S. federal conservation programme, NGOs should verify their organisational and project eligibility directly with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before preparing an application.
Matching Contribution Requirement
A major requirement of the NAWCA U.S. Standard Grant is matching support.
The current eligibility guidance states that match must be:
Non-Federal in origin
No more than two years old
Equal to or greater than the NAWCA grant request
In other words, the programme generally requires a 1:1 match.
For example, an organisation requesting US$1 million in NAWCA funding would generally need at least US$1 million in eligible non-Federal matching contributions.
Applicants should carefully check the detailed match rules because not every source or expenditure qualifies.
What Types of Organisations May Find This Relevant?
The programme may be relevant to organisations involved in:
Wetland conservation
Wildlife conservation
Habitat restoration
Land conservation
Environmental protection
Watershed conservation
Bird conservation
Nature conservation
Conservation easements
Wetland restoration and enhancement
Projects need to meet the programme’s detailed technical and geographic requirements.
Proposal Requirements
The FY2027-1 instructions require a detailed proposal containing elements such as:
Project title
Principal Investigator information
Needs statement
Objectives
Proposal summary
Work plan
Timeline
Expected results and benefits
Financial plan
Technical assessment questions
Project location information
Maps
Partner contribution statements
The official instructions also provide proposal templates and detailed formatting requirements.
Application Deadline – 25 September 2026
Applications for the current U.S. Standard Grant cycle must be submitted by:
11:59 PM Eastern Time on 25 September 2026.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recommends submitting proposals well before the deadline to avoid technical problems.
How to Apply
Applications for the current NAWCA U.S. Standard Grant opportunity are handled through the U.S. federal grant systems, with current instructions directing applicants to GrantSolutions for submission and management.
Applicants should first read the complete official eligibility criteria and FY2027-1 proposal instructions.
Official Resources
NAWCA U.S. Standard Grants – U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
NAWCA U.S. Standard Grant – Grants.gov
FY2027-1 NAWCA U.S. Standard Grant Instructions
Important Points for Applicants
Before applying, organisations should assess:
Whether the proposed project is located in an eligible U.S. area
Whether the activities meet NAWCA conservation requirements
Whether the organisation can provide the required non-Federal match
Whether partner contributions are properly documented
Whether the project has clearly defined conservation outcomes
Whether the organisation can meet the federal grant administration requirements
The official guidance specifically recommends contacting the FWS Program Office with questions about eligibility and allowable activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NAWCA U.S. Standard Grant?
It is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grant programme under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act supporting wetland and wetland-dependent wildlife conservation projects in the United States.
How much can an organisation request?
The current Standard Grant range is US$250,001 to US$3 million.
What is the deadline?
The current FY2027-1 deadline is 25 September 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
Is matching funding required?
Yes. The current guidance requires at least a 1:1 non-Federal match for the U.S. Standard Grant.
What does NAWCA fund?
The programme supports eligible wetland acquisition, restoration, enhancement, establishment and related long-term wetland conservation work.
Disclaimer :NGOPortal only disseminates information about grants and funding opportunities. It does not arrange, guarantee or influence grant funding, eligibility, selection or award decisions. Applicants should read the official NAWCA guidelines and verify all eligibility criteria, matching requirements, deadlines and application procedures directly with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before applying.